The Last Wish (Introducing the Witcher)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I am editing my original review of The Witcher because I want to post something a little more detailed on my blog.

First, let me start by saying, I have not played the video game that I would think was derived from the books. Maybe the other way around, I’m not a gamer. Secondly, I saw in a couple reviews that people saw this as a series of short stories which I did not get at all. I thought that it was a series of flashbacks although even that was a little confusing but the only explanation I could come up with. However, looking back now after writing my review, I definitely would agree. Finally, it’s also said to be a weird spin on the retelling of fairytales…ok, I saw that. That aspect alone made this a fascinating read. Don’t let the word “fairytale” dissuade you to pick this up. These are in no way the fairytales you remember from childhood. They are messed up (but awesome) spinoffs of those childhood fairytales. There’s also a little love/hate story mixed in there. What more could you ask for?

Anyway, we follow this loner, Geralt, who is both a sorcerer and an assassin through a land plagued with monsters some of which I’ve never heard of. His only companion his mare, Roach. The Witcher seeks out, hunts and kills kobolds, spriggans, werewolves, vampires, leshys, fairies, strigas and rusalkas, just to name a few. Some he doesn’t kill but rather tries to reverse curses or spells that were set upon them and return them to their human selves. This is his job and he travels the land looking for work. He’s got long white hair, muscled and probably a little arrogant but he deserves that. He’s a powerful sorcerer who seems to know no defeat. I guess that allows for some arrogance.

The Witcher reverses a spell on a King’s daughter; he reverses a curse placed on a gigantic, hairy beast who is in love with another equally disturbing creature known as a bruxa; there’s wicked Aridea who comes to possess a powerful ancient artifact, Nehalenia’s Mirror and sends her mutant stepdaughter, Renfri, into the woods to be killed by a huntsman, who then eventually comes to live with seven gnomes that rob merchants. All of this in just the quarter of the way through book! There’s more stories with werewolves, elves and devils. Don’t forget the love/hate relationship that The Witcher has.

Well, you don’t need me to go through each of the stories…read the book! It’s interesting and I think after having read my review and not going in to this book cold, you may enjoy it all the more. I’m definitely going to move on to the next book.